Olive Garden copy-cat breadsticks

Olive Garden Breadsticks

1 1/2 cups warm water (110-120 degrees)

1 pkgs active dry yeast

2 Tbsp sugar

4 1/2 c flour

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 Tbsp salt

Basting Sauce

1/2 cup butter

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

*Melt all ingredients in the microwave.  Mix well

1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in water for 10 minutes.   Mixture should be frothy

2.  Add flour and salt and melted butter

3.  Mix with dough hook until smooth.  Do not over knead

4.  Cut in to 12 pieces and roll in to a breadstick shape

5.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Cover and let rise 45 minutes

6.  Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes.  Baste with basting sauce and cook 6 more minutes.  Baste with remaining sauce.  Cool 1-2 minutes (if you can wait that long).  Devour!  Try not to drool.

Enjoy!
Keep up with my current recipes HERE I am always adding new favorites. (find it here first before all your friends find it on Pinterest)

Butterscotch Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Don't these look yummy?!  These flew off the cake stand as fast as I could frost them.  And the frosting was to-die-for.
This recipe is a part of me challenge to cook my way through the Betty Crocker "Big Book of Cupcakes"

Butterscotch Cupcakes with Salty Caramel Frosting
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup butterscotch chips, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place paper baking cups in 24 muffin cups
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
In a Large bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds on medium speed.  Gradually add sugar, scrapping bowl occasionally.  Beat in vanilla.  On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, and milk.  Beat just until blended.  Stir in butterscotch chips.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
* I have found that a #20 ice cream scoop works perfect for filling the right amount.*
Bake 20-25 min until center is done.  Cook completely before frosting.

Caramel Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar with a whisk.  heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Stir in milk.  Return to boiling.  Remove from heat and cool 30 min until lukewarm.  Beat in powdered sugar with hand mixer.  Frost cupcakes right away or this will harden.  *you can pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds if needed*
Garnish with a pinch of coarse kosher salt.

Chai mix

Here it is!! I am enjoying a hot cup this morning and it is very yummy.
I got the recipe from allrecipes.com and I adapted it to my taste.

In a large bowl, whisk together:

1c. Nonfat dry milk powder (you can use powdered rice milk, soy milk or rick milk)  Let me know how it turns out if you substitute those in.
1c. Powdered non-dairy creamer
1c. French vanilla flavored non dairy creamer powder
2 1/2 c. Granulated sugar
1 1/2 c. Unsweetened instant tea
2 tsp. Ground Ginger
2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1 tsp. Ground all spice
1 tsp. Ground cloves
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. Ground cardamom (this spice is pricey, but you don't want to skip it.)

In a food processor, blend 1 cup at a time until mix becomes a fine powder. Don't skip this step or the spices will clump in the hot water and not dissolve well. You can also use a blender.
I like 3tbsp in a mug of hot water but you can adjust the amounts depending on how you like it.
 I also love it with a splash of half and half. I tend to think most hot drinks taste better with a splash of half and half.
Enjoy.

Nothing New

These are a few recent recipes flying out of  my kitchen.  They were posted on my personal blog, which is now set to private.  Try them and enjoy.  The Spiced Applesauce Muffins are such a hit.  I originally found the recipe on allrecicpes.com, and I altered it to suit my tastes.  YUM YUM


Banana pancakes

1 cup quick oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 c brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 c milk
2 tbsp veg oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 mashed bananas

Mix dry. Mix wet. Combine. Stir in banana. Let stand 5 minutes

Zucchini Lasagna

This week we got quite a few zucchini in our CSA. So, I made up a yummy dish with the spaghetti sauce I made earlier in the week.

One layer of sliced raw zucchini
Top with dollops of cottage cheese
Sprinkle (generously) with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Slather on a good helping of spaghetti sauce.
Top with shredded Parmesan cheese
Bake at 350 for 30 min or until bubbly

Spiced Applesauce Muffins
1 1/4 cup applesauce (I like to use the natural, no sugar added)
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp. milk
2 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease one loaf pan or 24 muffin cups
2. Combine wet ingredients and add in dry.  Mix well.  Pour into loaf pan or muffin tins
3. Bake 60 min for loaf or 18 min for muffins

Raspberry Compote
2 cups raspberries
1 Tbsp lemon juice or orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
cook on medium until berries melt down and it thickens up
Serve with oatmeal, crapes and ice cream.  I like to just eat a spoonful of it out of the fridge when nobody is looking

YUMM!

I have decided to start a blog specifically for my cooking, baking, and mess making.  I am alway finding new recipes and I love to spend time in my kitchen.  Try these tasty recipes an let me know what you think.